IT is apt that we are commemorating the Somme. when the Kaiser said that British troops were ‘lions led by donkey’s’. Looking at all of our politicians behaviour after Brexit he would probably amend that to read ‘lions led by sheep’.
Four Eton boys had a hand in the referendum debacle. Cameron called a referendum no one asked for, Osborne gave out daily threats if we dared vote to leave, Johnson was not sure which way to go, and they put Letwin in charge of the Brexit team. Cameron and Johnson have run away, Osborne has disappeared and Letwin remains Letwin. Thanks Eton!
In Corbyn, Labour has the most uninspiring leader in its history. I am not sure which carries most democratic weight, the few thousand party members who voted for Corbyn, or the Labour MPs we voted in with over 9 million votes. If you are leading 200 troops and two do not follow, shoot the two. If 180 troops do not follow, shoot yourself
The SNP leader Sturgeon seems to be telling anyone who cares to listen that Scotland wants independence. For goodness sake take it and go. If the SNP simply declared independence tomorrow the rest of the UK would not be fixing bayonets and preparing for another Bannockburn. We probably need another referendum to decide if we actually want Scotland to remain in the UK.
The big referendum issue was immigration. It can be resolved at a stroke. ‘Free movement of people’ was a rule for joining the Common Market in 1955, when people did not leave their town or village, let alone swan off to another country. Now 10 coach-loads of bored young men or women can get on coaches for a few Euros and arrive in any town in the UK, unannounced, and overwhelm it.
Change the rule to read ‘free movement of workers’. If you have a job waiting you can go to any country in the EU. That will meet the spirit of the rule, no one can object if someone is coming to work here (because we can also apply for the job) and the accusations of ‘racism’ will be eliminated.
The people from the EU can still come of course, it used to be called ‘a holiday’, when they can see if there is any work, but if not, go back home. The same would apply to British people in any EU country. This country may finish up with two female leaders (a Tory PM and Labour opposition leader) and that can only be a better prospect for what the UK needs to do over the next few years.
Ron Shambley
Clough Avenue
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